The Early Years – The Simple Solution

And 2006 is starting to heat up at last. Despite being a moderate year for good records it looks like this year might just have a sting in its tale. Or an adorable fluffy exterior if the Early Years are anything to go by. Their debut album, which was released last month on Beggars Banquet, has cornered the market in subtle instrumental indie-ness. The single ‘All Ones And Zeros’ was a classic but deep inside the album there are plenty of other nuggets to appeal to anyone sold on Sonic Youth’s new softer, more melodic edge (in places it also grasps pre-gospel Spiritualized with aplomb). ‘The Simple Solution’ recalls first album Strokes and some of those early Interpol meanderings (‘Hands Away). A swaggering riff on which David Malkinson voice is only too grateful to glide atop augments the driving rhythms that are central to the jangling spread. This is both instantly likeable and long of shelf life. KD